While Pacemaker Failures Fall,
Defibrillator Malfunctions Rise

Malfunctions have been increasing in heart defibrillators and decreasing in cardiac pacemakers, according to Food and Drug Administration research to be made public today.

The research, conducted by FDA consultant and Harvard medical professor William H. Maisel along with doctors from the federal agency, comes at a moment of controversy for defibrillators, which are implanted to steady erratic heartbeats as well as jump-start those in...